Saturday Night Musings

Mr. De La Villehuchet, grief-stricken over his 1.4 billion investment losses with swindler Bernie Madoff, went to his Manhattan office locked the door, slashed both wrists, and took his own life. They found him dead the next day with a garbage can full of blood.

But none saith, Where is God my maker, who giveth songs in the night;

There is a multitude under tremendous stress of oppression and depression that are crying out for deliverance, but know nothing of how to be comforted with songs in the night that only comes from God. Paul and Silas were found singing praises at midnight when shackled to a wall.

In troubled times, God gives joy and peace with songs in the night. Sometimes it is not always God’s will to deliver us from present bondage. Everyone experiences night seasons. Anyone can sing in the day time. Only those who seek God’s presence more than his deliverance can sing songs in the night no matter what.

Knowing that it is God’s will for you to be bruised by Him, there is a song that says: The Lord’s our Rock, in him we hide. A shelter in the time of storm; Secure what ever ill be tide, A shelter in a time of storm. Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land.

When diagnosed with terminal cancer and the doctors have told you there in nothing else can be done, try this one: I will sing of my redeemer, And His wondrous love to me. On the cruel cross he suffered, from the curse to set me free. Sing; oh sing of my Redeemer, With his blood He purchased me. On the cross He sealed my pardon, Paid the debt and made me free.

Satan is the arch enemy of God and the accuser of the brethren. There are times when we are under demonic activity. It was Satan under the control of God who ushered an all out attack on Job. Job may have sung a song something like this: When peace like a river attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, What ever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say: “It is well, it is well with my soul.”

Maybe there is someone who is under sin’s conviction right now. Your sins are many and you feel the guilt because of them. Bow you head right now and pray this prayer: Dear God, I am sorry for my sin, I believe you gave your Son Jesus to suffer and die for my sin on the cross. I believe you arose from the dead and many witnessed your resurrection.  I am asking for forgiveness right now, and help me to live for you. In Jesus name, amen. Now sing with me: My soul in sad exile was out on life’s sea, So burden with sin and distress, Till I heard a sweet voice saying “make me your choice,” And I entered the haven of rest. I have anchored my soul in the haven of rest, I’ll sail the wide seas no more; In Jesus, I’m save ever more.

It seems to me if you will sing songs in the night; you will make it through the day.

“You have heard of the patience of Job”—James 5:11, but how many have ever encountered the sufferings of Job? Apart for the sufferings of Jesus Christ who tasted death on the cross of Calvary for every man (from the first man who was ever born to the last man who will ever be born), there has never been an individual who suffered as Job.  

When one ponders the genocide of some six million Jews, more than some five hundred thousand who died in World War II, approximately 4,500 unborn babies murdered every day in their Mother’s womb in America by way of abortion, multiplied thousands who were swept way by the tsunami waves, almost 3,000 innocent people who perished by the murderous thugs on 911—we ask an aged old question: Where is God when good people suffer? Why does God seem so capricious in his compassion? Why do the wicked prosper with more than they can wish for…and increase with riches (Psalms 73: 7,12), and good people like Lazarus who lays at the rich man gate being comforted by dogs licking his sores? 

God said there was no man like His man Job. One who was blessed with family, wealth, morally upright, spiritually correct, feared God, and one who hated and steered clear of evil. In one day, this one of a kind man had lost it all and was found sitting on a pile of ashes with boils from his head to his feet with three miserable friends and a wife who wished Job would curse God and die. 

He said his body was clothed with worms devouring the flesh as maggots on rotten meat. He lived with horrific terrifying nightmares, constant weeping because of pain and living in the shadow of death, personal friends who walked away for him, loss of weight, putrefying sores which could not be healed, muscles which had no strength, inflammation of joints, and his skin filled with cancerous sores.  

Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,   And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.  In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly (Job 1:20-21). 

Some 7 billion people live in very evil, cruel, and sinful world. It rains on the just as well as the unjust. Suffering is part of the landscape and goes along with living. Satan, the arch enemy of God is like a starving beast ready to pounce on its prey without notice. So called friends reject us as if we had a contagious disease. Bodies wears out with vital signs indicating that death is near.  

To keep your sanity, remember this, every day we walk through the valley of the shadow of death and evil is always present—fear nothing, the Lord is with us. At the end of our suffering there awaits a crown that fadeth not away. The good God in Heaven who has saved us from our sin by his grace will sustain us with his grace in our greatest need. He will never put more on us than He will put in us to bear up anything that will come against us. Have faith in God, submit your will to His will, let the suggestive comments from friends run off of you like water on a ducks back, and trust in God even though He may slay you. While skin worms devour the body, one day you will see God in a perfect glorified body without any deficiency. In sorrow there is joy, in death there is life, when you go down you will come up, somehow you will find strength in weakness, there will be gain in your loss, and victory will surpass defeat. In your sufferings, stand up like a man, wait upon the Lord, and don’t cave in, our God did not forsake Job and he won’t forsake us.  Visit: www.cliffhartley.com